I Need A Father
by Miss Peabody
Summary: Spoilers for Season Finale, Ep 24 Volpina How will Adrien's father react when he finds out that his book is missing? Some things need to be said, but sometimes the truth is hard to swallow. One-shot.


**Hey Miraculers! Laura Marano's new Miraculous MV came out during SDCC. At the end, it tells when new episodes may premiere on Nickelodeon! I believe it said the Origins Episodes will be shown on August 6th at 8:00-9:00 AM, and then a new episode following each Saturday at 8:00 AM. Anyway, if you haven't seen the Season Finale online, like I have, this contains a spoiler from that episode. Also any italicized marks are Adrien's thoughts. Enjoy reading! 3 –Miss Peabody**

Adrien kept searching his room, looking for his father's book. He tossed some old clothes from pile to pile, some hitting his kwami in the process, who grumbled to himself.

"Ouch!" Plagg uttered, as a pair of pants fell on him. "Why do you need this book so badly?"

"I told you, Plagg." Adrien said, looking under his bed. "My father's going to be super mad at me if he finds out I lost his book."

The model sprinted to his spiral staircase, up to the bookshelves. There was no chance the book could be there, but he just had to search every nook and cranny. He grabbed books one by one, throwing them over his shoulder, as they landed on the floor below. Luckily, the books were not that heavy, so the sound they made as they hit the floor hopefully wouldn't draw any attention. Plagg dodged each one, as he floated up toward the second floor of the bedroom.

"You know, you could help me look."

"Where am I supposed to look?"

"Try my book bag again." Adrien answered, annoyed. "Sometimes, I misplace stuff in there."

The kwami sighed and was about to argue, but instead, he floated down to Adrien's bag that was sitting near the door. He flew through it, around it, and even in the side pockets. But to Plagg's disappointment, the book was not there. He looked up at Adrien, who was still ravaging through the books that filled the shelves. The kwami could tell his owner was upset, as the more books he tossed, the louder the thump was as they hit the floor.

"Where…is…it?" Adrien grunted as he tossed three books harder to the floor. He sighed, sliding down the bookshelf and down to the balcony.

"Don't give up." Plagg encouraged. "There's got to be some place you haven't looked."

"The library at school!" he said, running down the stairs, and out his bedroom door. As he came to the main stairwell, there was his father standing before him.

"Adrien." Gabriel acknowledged.

"Father."

"It seems one of my items has gone missing."

It was over. He was dead. There was no way he could lie to his father, not well at least. _I need to get to that library._

Adrien gulped. "What item?"

"A thick, reddish book with a large gold insignia." His father described coldly, as if talking about one of his designs. "Have you seen it?"

 _Yes._ "Have you asked Nathalie?" he said, descending the stairs.

"She's searching as we speak." He answered, almost annoyed. "Have _you_ seen it?"

 _Yes, behind that safe of yours_. "No, father." Adrien sighed. "Maybe you misplaced it?"

Gabriel eyed his son up and down, and then glared at him. "I would not misplace an item as important at this one."

 _More important than me, huh?_ The young teen thought to himself. "I don't know." he said, folding his arms, careful not to look his father in the eye.

"Where is the book, Adrien?"

"I told you, I don't know!" Adrien shouted, filling the large lobby with its echo.

Gabriel seemed taken aback at first, but then anger started rising in his voice. "Someone has stolen my property, and I will find out who!"

"Do you realize this is the most we seen each other all week?" He yelled, feeling more himself than usual.

"Adrien, don't change the subject-"

"So I'm not as important as some stupid book." The teen continued. "I'm not as important as some stupid safe behind-." _Crap._ He thought. _That's it. I'm done for._

"So where is it?" his father began circling him. "Only I, and now it seems, _you_ , know about that safe."

Adrien closed his eyes and sighed. This was it. No matter how mad his dad would get, at this moment he didn't care. "I…took it to school, and I lost it."

"You did what?!"

At that moment, Nathalie entered the room, clipboard in hand, no doubt taking notes of the places she had looked. She seemed to be distressed, probably from hearing her boss and his son's raised voices.

"Sir," she said shyly. "I couldn't find it anywhere."

"Dad I'm-" Adrien began.

Gabriel wouldn't even look at him. Instead he walked toward Nathalie and spoke very coldly. "Nathalie, my son will stay here from now on." "He will no longer attend College Francois Dupont." Before Adrien could open his mouth to protest, his father spoke coldly again. "I did not raise you as a thief."

"You aren't raising me at all!" Adrien yelled, but then cooled off. "Dad, please I'm sorry. It's just that I want some kind of relationship with you, even if it's just hearing your voice. My curiosity just got the better of me."

"That does not excuse you from-"

"You're right, it doesn't." he said coldly, cutting off his father. "But would you really be this cold if mom were still here?" "I know she hurt you when she disappeared." Maybe you're just mad at her and push it on me."

"Adrien, I-"

"I got it." He continued. "I'm going to my room." "But you're hiding secrets in this life of yours you don't want me in." He started to ascend the stairwell, but stopped himself before turning around. "Dad, I need a father." Adrien finished, feeling tears come to his eyes. "You could at least act like one."

"I'm doing this for you son." He said as his son slammed his bedroom door, knowing full well he couldn't hear him.

"Sir, should I keep looking?" Nathalie asked, breaking the silence.

"No, that won't be necessary."

Adrien slid down his bedroom door, pulling his knees in close. The one time this week he got to see his father, and it turned into a shouting match. But, he said what needed to be said. For the first time, the boy actually said what he felt. His cheeks burned from the hot tears coming from his eyes, but he let them fall. Plagg noticed his distress and landed on his shoulder, giving him some comfort. The same could not be said of his father.

 **Well, that's it! Poor Adrien… I intended for this to be a one shot, unless you want more. ;) If you didn't know, Adrien said in a webisode that his mom disappeared mysteriously and his dad has been cold and distant ever since. I also wrote this with the Gabriel is Hawkmoth theory in mind. Sorry about the dialogue, I always have trouble writing it and descriptive words together. Hope you enjoyed reading!**


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